THE U S PALACE

IOLANI PALACE

This is one exception to my posting of US sites. I have always loved the Iolani which was just about to undergo restoration when we moved back to the mainland. I was delighted to see the wonderful results a few years later on a stopover visit enroute to Midway.

One might think that Iolani Palace is located in some exotic location, but being  the only palace in the United Stated, it sits in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii. It was the official residence of King Kalakaua from 1882 until his death in 1891. Kalakaua played an active role in the construction of the palace making sure innovations of the time like toilets, sinks, running water, electric lights and telephones were installed. His sister, Queen Liliuokalani lived in the palace until the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893. The coronation of the king and his consort, Queen Kapiolani took place in 1883.

The present structure stands close to the old palace which termites destroyed. King Kalakaua took up residence as soon as the palace, which cost $360,000 to build, was completed. The basement housed kitchens, storerooms, and household staff offices. The main floor was used for formal functions, while the second floor was devoted to family living quarters. The large attic merely provided air space to keep the floors below cool.

A wide curved staircase, carved of Hawaiian woods, dominates the wide hall that runs the length of the palace. Portraits of Hawaiian royalty line the walls above niches displaying valuable vases and statuary.

Crimson and gold dominate the Throne Room, the scene of royal audiences, balls and receptions. Small receptions and informal audiences took place across the hall in the Blue Room. The huge painting of a French King  was presented to King Kamehameha III in 1848. Beautiful carved sliding doors separate the Blue Room from the State Dining Room. The massive sideboards in this room were specially made in Boston, Massachusetts. The King and Queen suites are on opposite sides of the hall.

From 1893 to 1968 the palace served as the capitol of the Republic, the Territory and finally of the state. During that time the Throne Room was used by the House of Representatives and the State Dining Room was the Senate Chamber. In 1969 when the new capitol was completed the palace was vacated so restoration could begin.

When you visit, be sure to take a guided tour to learn many more details of America’s only Royal Palace.

In Hawaii don’t expect to hear north, south east and west when given directions. Instead you’ll hear makai (toward the water), Waikiki, Ewa and mauka (toward mountains)

June 11 is Kamehameha Day and since it is also my birthday I always celebrated with a festive parade!

HISTORIC RESTAURANT

        AN OLDIE

In Passau, Austria our city guide told us, “The restaurant across the street from your hotel was established by monks in 1358, and has been in continuous operation in the same location ever since.”

How about that for longevity!

We were told that the rule in Passau was that a glass of wine cannot cost more than twelve times the cost of a breakfast roll. The wine was a white one and was called Stift. It came from Krems.

            Of course over the years the price of the breakfast roll has increased and the serving size of the wine has decreased. Never the less, several of us had to have lunch in that restaurant. We paid dearly for a very mediocre lunch and the ambiance, but the wine was wonderful. In fact we continued to buy Stift wine all across Austria.

            Sometimes there are just things one must do when traveling to new and different places and having lunch in a 600 + year old restaurant fell into that category.

           

A FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE

A BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE

The Old Bridge at Mostar, Bosnia was conceived during the Ottoman Empire in 1566. The graceful 65-foot long, stone, arched bridge spanning the Neretva River replaced a narrow wooden foot bridge. The original stone bridge survived until the war of 1991 when it was totally destroyed. A temporary wooden bridge spanned the river from 1993 to 2004. The present bridge, an exact replica of the original, used stone from the same quarry,

Our guide said, “It is estimated that the original stone bridge would have cost 50,000 Euro to build, the replacement bridge cost 50 million Euro in 2004. The stone  is spongy and if it gets too wet it crumbles, but it can be molded when damp. The stone that fell into the river was not reusable as it had been too wet for too long. It took five years of preparation to replace the bridge but only a year to actually build it.”

 Croats live on the west side of the bridge and Muslims on the east side. The city is internationally known for its Old Town Bridge that now is a symbol of reconciliation, cooperation, and coexistence of diverse cultural, religious, and ethnic communities. There are many mixed marriages, and during the war many children had to choose between Mom or Dad.

Our guide explained, “The semi-circular Tara building on the west side of the bridge was used to store ammo and gun powder during Ottoman rule. Now it houses the divers’ co-op. The Helebija on the east bank once held dungeons on the bottom and guards on the top.

“Divers used to dive off the bridge for cigarettes. Then they dove for money. They would work in pairs, one poised to dive while the other clapped his hands to gather a crowd and collect donations. The diver would not dive until enough money had been collected.”

 Today diving is done during competitions in July, otherwise diving from the bridge is forbidden. The waters 65 feet below flow swiftly making   diving  dangerous. Today a kayak floats  under the bridge and an ambulance is on the shore to cope with mishaps and emergencies during the competition.

The bridge, now a UNESCO site is picturesque with an interesting history.

SOME UNUSUAL SIGHTINGS

UNIQUE TO NEWFOUNDLAND

Along the Viking trail it is very rural. The earth is shallow and so telephone cribs are built to hold the poles upright. After being dug into the ground as much as possible a wooden cage, approximately 40-inch square, is built around the pole. Then moderate size rocks are piled into the 24-30-inch high crib. It seems to be a perfect solution to the problem.

           

All along the road we saw large piles of stacked cut wood. It is illegal to cut down trees. But every spring the whole community gathers and drags all the fallen trees and dead wood out of the forest. A dead tree still standing can not be cut, it must fall down. When all the wood is hauled out to the clearings along the road, it is cut into what looked like about 12-inch long logs and stacked. Sometimes the logs are piled teepee- style to dry. The woodpiles are for anyone who needs it. It is a community project and is used by the entire community. Keep in mind that most of the villages are small, often with a population of only a couple hundred people. No one would cheat and try to stockpile the wood. It is there for anyone who needs it. In such rural areas one must depend on friends and neighbors.

            Another odd thing we noticed was patches that looked like a garden. We learned that they were indeed just that and are  called roadside gardens. A long time ago it was discovered that for some reason deeper soil gathered in certain areas along the road. Again communities plant these patches, which vary in size, with root crops of  potatoes, carrots, turnips, and onions. The growing season is very short, so seedlings are planted, not seeds. These plots date back to the 1800s! People take what they need when they need it. There is a real sense of community in this area.

A FEMALE HERO

                      ONE PLUCKY DAME           

One day biking in Denmark we detoured to the estate of one of the many  resistance workers of World War II. Even though Denmark was a neutral country, during WW II 100,000 Germans occupied the country. This lady happened to be English and she helped many  downed Allied flyers. Eventually the Germans caught her and sent her off to a concentration camp, but because she was English, the Germans were reluctant to execute her.

            During her incarceration she was instructed to write a letter requesting amnesty. She refused. But the Germans were insistent and weren’t about to give up. She eventually wrote the letter, but in defiance of the Germans she wrote her letter on toilet paper!  Unfortunately she died in camp a few months before the war ended, but apparently not from mistreatment. Her elderly daughter wanted nothing to do with the estate, so it is managed by a foundation.

            During WW II, 6000 Danes were sent to concentration camps, most of them resistance fighters, not Jews. Unfortunately 600 died in the camps.

            The story of the Danish resistance is a remarkable one and I’ll have other stories to relate at another time.

KOALAS

 A Furry Cutie

        One afternoon on my first trip down under we rode out of town to visit koalas in a zoo. A local guide told us, “Koalas are  a marsupial. They have very sharp claws so we wean them from their mother onto a stuffed koala. They can cuddle with the toy, and in captivity we can handle them without too many nasty scratches.

         “Koala is an aboriginal word meaning does not drink. Koalas derive all of their fluid from an exclusive diet of eucalyptus leaves. They are very susceptible to human illness. Virtually all of the koalas on Phillip Island are infected with clymadia and are dying out. They are on a preserve there and when they are all gone, healthy koalas will be reintroduced to the island.”

         Koalas are nocturnal and can travel as far as five miles in search for food. They are a small animal, not much bigger than a good size teddy bear.
        New South Wales and Queensland climates are warm so the koalas are grey with white on the inner ears and chest. Victoria is cooler so the animals are larger with a darker fur, more of a charcoal grey.

        At birth a koala is a furless newborn that looks like a pink jellybean. This tiny animal claws and climbs its way up mama’s stomach to crawl into her pouch where it spends six months. When it emerges the baby clings to mama’s back until it reaches full maturity. Koalas seldom have more than one baby and if they do only one survives as the pouch is only big enough to accommodate one baby. The normal life span is 16-18 years.

        It was awesome to hold a small koala as it clung to its toy.

        In Tasmania we saw koalas in the wild. One actually climbed down from a tree and tried to climb up a gal’s pant leg. We figured the little guy thought her white sneakers were rocks and her pants were the same color as the bark of a tree. The guide rescued the koala but not before he left a couple of puncture holes in her pants.

LOWITZ, POLAND

 POLISH  COUNTRYSIDE

            It is always nice to get out of the city and ride through the countryside. When in Poland we stopped at the Bernardine Monastery where the nuns had prepared and served us lunch.

            The nuns basically run a soup kitchen serving lunch to several poor people every day. They were expecting us and I must say it was one of the most memorial meals I’ve ever had. The vegetable soup was delicious and the bread was hot out of the oven. It was not elegant dining but it was a delightful time. The nuns were friendly and gracious and it was a pleasure to add to their coffers. When we left, the nuns standing on the front stoop, serenaded us with their lovely voices.

            When we arrived at the Lowicz Castle ruins musicians and dancers were waiting for us. Dressed in native costume they performed songs and dances specially for us. This was a real native performance, not some commercial affair.

Lowicz is a small native Polish village. The spokesman for the group explained, “I bought these ruins a few years ago and built this building on the grounds. My wife and I live here. Eventually, I want to restore part of the castle.”

            They were most gracious people and invited us into their home. I don’t know much about the history of the castle but it looked like he had an ambitious restoration project before him.

            Inside the home the man’s wife and a girl maybe 11 or 12 years old were doing some paper cutting. We all stood gaping in amazement at the intricate designs they were creating with sheep-shearing shears! The designs were beautiful and the shears were so big. I couldn’t imagine the patience it would take to accomplish such a fine art.

            We asked if the designs were for sale and were stunned when they said they ranged from 6-10 zoltys which translated into $2-3. We learned that this craft is unique to only this part of the country. I treasure my paper cutting and have it hanging in my living room.

As we were leaving, the fellow climbed a small hill to give us a cannon salute from his real live cannon. What a nice tribute!

TUNDRA BUGGIES

Unique Vehicles

       In Churchill, Manitoba, Canada the tundra buggy could be described as an oblong railroad car mounted on huge all weather/terrain wheels/tires. A viewing platform is at the rear. Each seat has a large window which opens easily for better photography.

       The tundra buggy can travel the tundra, in fall and winter, over frozen ground and through snow, and in the summer, over soggy terrain. The buggy travels 2-3 mph on the tundra and average about 6 miles per gallon. The front tires hold 6# pressure and the rear 9#.

      When loading and unloading the buggy, the bus taking one to the staging area turns around and pulls up so its steps are directly opposite the steps of the buggy, requiring only one step on the ground. Transfers are quick. Polar bears can run 25 miles an hour, and who wants to meet one on ground level.

        The permafrost of the tundra is only 6-12 inches below the surface. I never visualized water on the tundra, but we saw many ponds. Some were as small as a 10 X10 foot puddle, and many were very large. The frozen water areas are called thermal karst. In summer they are  liquid water in a soggy tundra, and in winter a frozen pond.

        Both the federal and provincial governments strictly regulate the tundra. Two companies own the seventeen buggy permits to travel over the tundra, and even that is controlled. Stay on the 'roads' and no running over the tundra like a wild off-road vehicle.

       The first tundra buggy was built in 1980. The tundra highway starts out over an old military road and then travels over esker, a narrow raised area on the tundra.

      A tundra ride is rough, as the buggy bounces over the uneven ground and rock. The buggies are heated, but everything is relative. Granted, a temperature of 40 is warmer than the outside temperature of 0-minus 10, but when animals are spotted, everyone wants to open their window for the photo ops, and the inside temperature plummets rapidly. However, that was a minor inconvenience for the fantastic experience.

TIME IN A TIN MINE

Rock, Darkness and Water
       A visit to the Geevor Tin Mine in Cornwall, England was an interesting one. This claustrophobic old lady went on the mine tour, but I was sure happy to see daylight again! Before entering the mine we donned hard hats and to the knee smocks. Once in the mine, we walked conga dance-style holding onto the waist of the person in front of us. The only light was from the head lamp of the docent who guided us through the mine. It was easy to knock your head and to bump the side of the tunnels, so the required gear was a blessing. It took a lot of self talking to stay calm to get me though, and I gasped big gulps fresh air as we exited the tunnel. It was an experience!
      The docent explained, “In 1911 Geevor opened an old mine. The Victory shaft was sunk in 1919 and extends 1575 feet into the ground. In 1965 three mines were combined for a total of two square miles. In 1975-80 a 1:4 gradient shaft was added under the ocean at 2100 feet. In 1985 the price for tin dropped 60% overnight.
      “This mine, containing 160 miles of tunnel, continued to operate for a while longer but closed in 1990. At that time it employed 370 men, 130 of whom worked under ground. All the workers lived within a 7-10 miles radius of the mine. After the mine closing many of the men moved overseas to work in other mines.”
       In 1991 they started flooding the under ocean mine and it took 3 ½ years to bring the water to sea level. In 1993 part of the mine reopened as a museum.
       Ten percent of the rock mined is turned into tin ore, and it takes 24-30 hours to get it ready to go to the smelters. Iron, copper, and arsenic are also found in the rock.
       The guide continued. “Mining was men’s work. No women were allowed in the mines. Years ago boys as young as 8 were sent into the mines. Often a mine was a family enterprise. It is totally dark in the mines and candles provided the only light! A miner had to supply all his own tools, candles, gun powder etc. One was paid only on what he produced. All miners were contract labor; no hourly wage or health insurance in those days. The men would stay in the mines 10-12 hours in cramped positions from dawn to nightfall. The life span of a miner was only about 40 years. They suffered poor eyesight, as they worked 10 hours a day six days a week. Many died of TB.
       The countryside is dotted with smoke stacks of closed mines. Mining was the life style of entire communities. It was a very hard life!

A SCARY EVENT

MAYBE TOO ACCOMMODATING
      The last day camping with a group in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico we returned to Los Isolates for a final swim with the sea lions. Accommodating one of the swimmer’s request, the guide dropped anchor on the windward side of the island. Big mistake!
      I was the first one in the water and before I even came up for air a terrific surface current had swept me to the end of the island! One of the fellows was right behind me. We swam over to the island and hung on for awhile.
      I said, “Wow, I had visions of landing on that island over there.”
      As my roommate floated by. I waved frantically yelling, “Come over here.”
     “I can’t, the current is too strong!.”
     “The current’s a lot less here. Swim over,” I yelled.
      She did, and while the three of us clung to the rocks we watched another gal float by. She probably weighed over 400 pounds. Think blimp—as she floated on her back, feet first, toes in the air as if charting her float. She was screaming and yelling and floating just as easily as can be.
       By that time the people on the boat realized what was happening and stopped anyone else from entering the water.
       Immediately the little life boat was put in the water and the first rescue was the floating blimp. She had trouble getting in the boat so they simply towed her and came over for us. We three climbed in the skiff and then it headed back to the bigger boat.
       The three of us were able to board the ladder with no problem, but the blimp’s legs floated under the boat and she just couldn’t get her balance to manage the ladder. The crew had to lower a net into the water and eventually lift her aboard. Although this could have been a serious situation it was pretty funny after the fact. She was really very heavy and a real strain for the crew who were always most accommodating.
      Now it was apparent, and we all knew why, we had anchored on the other side of the island a couple of days earlier. It’s always better to follow the safety rules and everyone was fortunate that this situation was without incident.

NEWFOUNDLAND ODDITIES

Some Intersting Things I Learned
        Cloudberry also called bake apple is a popular berry to make jam and syrup. The berry is similar to a raspberry except the apricot-orange bumps are much larger and fewer in number. Cloudberries are found other places, but I first ran on to them in Newfoundland. The partridge berry tastes a lot like a cranberry.
       The trans-Canada highway starts in St John’s, Newfoundland with marker zero and extends 4660 miles across the country to Victoria, British Columbia.
        Ten mile pond is only seven miles long,----but ten miles from a long ago trapper’s home.
        A mug up is the expression for when friends and family get together to drink, talk, tell stories and sing. Screech is rum. Wedgies are fried potato chunks.
       Scuff means to dance, scoff means to eat so one can partake of a scuff
       In Newfoundland the word fish refers to cod, if any other fish is talked about it is identified by name.
      If you are not a Newfoundlander, you are from away. Tickle refers to a small stream of water. A deck on a house is called a bridge. In rural areas front doors frequently do not have any steps because the house is considered not finished and the taxes are lower. It is referred to as the mother-in-law door.
       Shed is a store and a store is a shop. That’s as confusing as a bar and gate in York, England.
       The Newfoundland pony was imported from Ireland and England. They weigh about 700 pounds and have strong forequarters.

        The Newfoundlander dog has a thick curly black coat and big webbed feet. The breed was brought to Newfoundland from England over 200 years ago. They are known for their loyalty and their many heroic rescues. We did not see many of them.
         Newfoundland has some funny place names. Many were influenced by the French and Portuguese and often have been anglicized. There are Heart’s Desire (1612), Heart’s Content (1700s) and Heart’s Delight (1800s), all close together. Originally the heart was hart, but was changed to the more common spelling. Then there is Joe Batt’s Arm, Jerry’s Nose and Herring Neck as well as Brigus and Cupids.

ONE BIG ROCK

ULURU

        For years Uluru was known as Ayers Rock and the big activity was to climb it. Unfortunately there were many accidents. The rock in the Outback—the red center of Australia—is sacred to the Aborigines and climbing the rock today is discouraged. We decided to honor that and got up early to walk the five miles around the rock at daybreak. We finished just as the sun got high in the sky. It was getting hot and we were glad we’d gotten up early!

       It is traditional to sip champagne as one watches the sun set on the big red monolith. It was amazing to see the color change about every two minutes. Crowds of tourist gather to witness the sunsets.
       The only hotel accommodations in the area are in a hotel complex built by the Northern Territory government that was later sold the complex to a Lin Lacy. The complex houses four hotels from a five-star to a backpacker’s hostel. The complex that can accommodate 5000 visitors a night also has a post office, moderate-sized grocery store, shops, and information and tourist center. It has its own water supply and generating plant, some of which is solar. The complex employs 4800 people.
       Uluru refers to a water hole near the summit. At 1150-feet high Uluru is the largest sandstone monolith in the world, and like an iceberg has perhaps 2/3 more lying under ground. It is one of the world’s great natural wonders. There are many caves in the rock and 75 art sites.
       In 1983 the area around Uluru was returned to the native people. However, it was not long before the native peoples realized they were unable to handle and manage the park, so a cooperative agreement was reached with the Park Service who now maintains and manages the area. Twenty-five percent of the park fee plus a $75,000 annual royalty is returned to the Aborigines
      The Aborigines take spiritual care of Uluru, as they believe gods from Dreamtime passed by here imbuing formations with their spirits. Caring for the land is how they confirm their humanity. About 300 of the Anangu tribe live on one side of the rock. We really had to look hard to find their settlement as the village is well hidden in the bush, and I suspect many people are not even aware of it. The entire area is referred to as Yulara, meaning howling dingo.